Abad leaves, Schiappa returns… meet France’s reshuffled new ministers

The French government is undergoing a reshuffle today (July 4) with new ministers being announced before a first cabinet meeting this afternoon.

Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne has been working with President Emmanuel Macron over the weekend to decide on changes to the composition of the new government.

Three ministers lost their seats in the recent legislative elections and so must be replaced. They are Health Minister Brigitte Bourguignon, Minister of the Sea Justine Benin and Ecological Transition Minister Amélie de Montchalin.

Yaël Braun-Pivet, who was serving as minister of the overseas territories, will also have to give up this role, as she has been appointed president of the Assemblée nationale.

Read more: What’s coming up? The week ahead in France

New ministers, returning ministers, departing ministers

Former health minister Olivier Véran has been named as the government’s official spokesperson, as Olivia Grégoire is moved to a ministerial post working with small and medium-sized businesses and artisans.

Emergency doctor François Braun has been made health minister, and Christophe Béchu, the mayor of Angers, will take up the ecological transition role.

Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has retained his post but will also take on the overseas territories ministry.

Olivier Klein, former Communist Party member and the current mayor of Clichy-sous-Bois, is entering the government as minister-delegate in charge of housing and cities.

Bruno Le Maire will continue as finance minister, as will Pap Ndiaye as education minister, Eric Dupond-Moretti as justice minister, Sébastien Lecornu as defence minister, Marc Fesneau as agriculture minister, Catherine Colonna as European and foreign affairs minister and Amélie Oudéa-Castéra as sport minister.

Former government spokesperson Gabriel Attal will take on government accounts, Isabelle Rome will be in charge of gender equality and Charlotte Caubel of the childhood ministry.

Clément Beaune, who had been Europe minister, will now act as transport minister, and Laurence Boone will replace him in his former role.

Former gender equality, and then citizenship minister, Marlène Schiappa, is returning to politics to take on the role of social solidarity economy minister.

Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, the minister of state for development, la Francophonie and international partnerships who is under investigation for two rape allegations concerning incidents which took place during her work as a gynaecologist, has retained her post.

Read more: Third time a member of present French government accused of rape

Minister of Solidarity Damien Abad – who is also under investigation for accusations of attempted rape – will be leaving the government.

“I will defend myself tirelessly until my innocence is confirmed,” Mr Abad said today, adding that he left his role with “many regrets”.

Jean-François Combe, director general of the Croix Rouge, will be the new minister of solidarity, and Caroline Cayeux will be incharge of local authorities.

The full list of all the new ministers can be found on the government website.

Focus on spending power

There are around 40 ministers in the cabinet, with MPs from the Macron-affiliated MoDem and Horizon parties joining those from Renaissance (formerly La République en Marche !).

President Macron wants all of his ministers to work on tackling the effects of soaring inflation on French spending power, and the new bill aimed at protecting the population from rising prices should be presented to the cabinet this week.

The Les Républicains mayor of Toulouse, Jean-Luc Moudenc, has called for the party to “build points of agreement” with President Macron’s Ensemble coalition “on projects which will help France to move forward.

“Citizens are asking it of us,” and “it is in the interests of French people and our country,” he said.

The first meeting of the new cabinet will take place today at 16:00.

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